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Grandparenting

mini-cheddars cheesy biscuits

(77 Posts)
Kowl Tue 02-Apr-24 09:30:47

Daughter feeds my grandchildren mini-cheddar cheesy biscuits constantly. When they come here she literally lasts 5 minutes before she's opening a packet and sticking them in their mouths. 'snacks' she calls them and thinks the children can't last long without eating some. I could write an essay on what I think about this, but I'll just post it without comment.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Apr-24 16:58:12

I like the Tuc biscuits, with the cream "cheese" sandwiched between them.

VioletSky Thu 04-Apr-24 16:59:33

Well, no one is ever accusing us of spoiling the grandchildren with snacks

We will have eaten them all

MissAdventure Thu 04-Apr-24 17:00:30

smile
Good point!
Selflessly consuming them ourselves....

VioletSky Thu 04-Apr-24 17:05:11

Good grandparent right there

jocork Thu 04-Apr-24 17:33:49

My grandson who is three and a half eats a pack most days but his other snacks include bananas, apples, raisins, blueberries biscuits and malt bread. He tends to eat lots of snacks and quite small meals however he seems healthy and mostly has plenty energy. He isn't overweight so I'm not worried at all. I'm sure as he gets older he'll eat a greater variety at mealtimes but for now he eats plenty fruit even if his vegetable consumption is a bit limited.

He was breastfed until about 20 months so certainly had a healthy start. He was quite adventurous when still a baby but seems less so now. However thinking back to how picky his dad was when younger, he grew up eating pretty much everything and he now cooks most of the family meals from scratch when not away working. My baby GD is quite adventurous with food and is still being breatfed too.

I'm sure my DiL has had suitable advice and I try not to interfere in any way. The one thing that irritated me most with my MiL was her interfering with what my daughter ate and drank. My daughter was breastfed until about 13 months but never liked drinking milk after weaning. My MiL was obsessed with giving her milk in 'her daddy's special silver cup' from which she would drink a small amount to my great annoyance as she wouldn't touch it at home! Grandma would shriek with delight "See she loves it!" My health visitor assured me it was nothing to worry about as she ate loads of yogurt and cheese and things with sauces made with milk.

Years later my ex husband discovered he was lactose intolerant and he cut out milk altogether. When we told MiL she was utterly horrified! MiL insisted I had taught DD not to like milk because I didn't despite me trying really hard to get her to drink it. DD still eats loads of cheese and her coffee of choice is either a latte or a flat white which I can't stand!

If your GC seem healthy, energetic and not overweight, don't interfere. If you offer fruit snacks at your house that's fine, but never interfere when they are at home. They may try things at your house, as my children did, but at home they may demand what they are familiar with and refuse the healthy things they accept from Grandma! If you find they like soft fruits you could always ttake a punnet with you when you visit and say you just brought them with you as a treat.

LOUISA1523 Thu 04-Apr-24 17:41:02

Beechnut

The Red Leicester ones are nice * Callistemon* 🙂

They are the best!

Skydancer Thu 04-Apr-24 18:02:48

I'm going to start another thread called What Would You REALLY Like to Eat?

Callistemon21 Thu 04-Apr-24 18:04:37

VioletSky

Well, no one is ever accusing us of spoiling the grandchildren with snacks

We will have eaten them all

😂😂😂

I ate half a bag of vegetable crisps.
They were just out of date so I couldn't give them to the DGC 😁

Callistemon21 Thu 04-Apr-24 18:06:41

MissAdventure

Oh yes.
Waste not, want not. smile
P.S let us (me) know what you find.

A large bag of Tyrrells crisps and that bag of Tesco vegetable crisps (half left for another day).
They are vegetables so have to be healthy don't they?

Callistemon21 Thu 04-Apr-24 18:07:52

Oh, and some nuts. They're healthy as well.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Apr-24 19:05:15

Oh well done!
I'm sure you've consumed your five a day in one sitting. 👍

Gundy Thu 04-Apr-24 19:21:40

When I got to Eva3 then I really got concerned!

Does your grandson get ANY protein? If tomato soup and bread is all he eats, then he has an eating disorder.

Perhaps have the pediatrician or some specialist help him with introducing more nourishing foods.

Good luck with this. I know you’re worried.

flappergirl Thu 04-Apr-24 20:05:50

Why do children snack so much these days? In my day (here we go!) we didn't have snacks. I'm talking about the 60's. We had porridge or an egg for breakfast then school dinners, although I always had a packed lunch, and came home to a proper home cooked dinner. Mum always made a pudding as well.

We might have a packet of crisps now and then but that was considered a treat. I'm always reading on Mumsnet about children eating between meals and always being hungry. What's changed?

MissAdventure Thu 04-Apr-24 20:08:42

I used to make sure everyone knew not to give my girlie snacks, now grandparents are in trouble for not giving enough of them.

Weird.

cc Thu 04-Apr-24 22:05:42

My daughter also gives her two children snacks, including lots of sweets and crisps. They're both very slim however I can't help but think that she may be building up problems for the future.

Summerfly Thu 04-Apr-24 22:45:11

Good idea Chesnut. You can buy bags of apple crisps in M&S. No additives and quite tasty. I always have them in as an alternative to biscuits etc when my grandchildren come to visit. They go down well too.

Callistemon21 Thu 04-Apr-24 23:07:57

Summerfly

Good idea Chesnut. You can buy bags of apple crisps in M&S. No additives and quite tasty. I always have them in as an alternative to biscuits etc when my grandchildren come to visit. They go down well too.

How did I get to my age and only just realised that they've passed me by?

SuperTinny Fri 05-Apr-24 00:37:01

The general rule of thumb about feeding children these days is three meals plus two snacks a day. Children very quickly catch on to 'snacks' and once they have done that its very difficult to draw them away.
I have looked after my four year old GS one day a week for the past three years. He would have happily lived on snacks (especially mini cheddars!) all day if he could. In the past 12-6 months or so I noticed he was getting particularly irritable, emotional and argumentative at about 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon. A snack or two seemed to settle him but it didn't last long.
I thought it might be that he was properly hungry (or low blood sugar) but couldn't necessarily articulate it so I decided to try to pre-empt the asking for snacks by providing his main cooked meal at around 12 o'clock. My husband and I will also sit with him and have our lunch at the same time (a bit early for us, but sets a good example). It immediately made a positive difference to his behavior in the afternoons and he didn't ask for snacks at all. I then give him a second smaller hot/cooked meal (usually an omelet, or beans on toast) at about 4.30pm. Again we sit with him, usually with a cup of tea and possibly a biscuit or small piece of cake.
By the time his mum collects him (just gone 5pm) and they get home and in the door he will happily play whilst they get their evening meal prepared before getting him a snack and ready for bed.
I know its not easy to keep up this momentum, and it does interrupt a day out but my DD and myself have definitely seen a positive behaviour difference by providing regular hot sit down meals. The midday meal seems to have been the game changer, but with today's lifestyles is the most difficult to maintain.

DrWatson Fri 05-Apr-24 00:56:45

I see an ingredient of mini-cheddars is the uber-naughty Palm Oil. Come on ladies, are we saving the planet, or clearing some more rain forest?!

MissAdventure Fri 05-Apr-24 09:12:50

Verdict: Despite being baked not fried and containing no artificial colours of flavours, Mini Cheddars have the second highest saturated fat content after Pringles (must be all that delicious cheese). They also have a high fat content considering the calories are relatively low, so approach with caution.

Chestnut Fri 05-Apr-24 09:42:11

SuperTinny - well done making his dinner early and finding an improvement in his behaviour. I'm sure it would benefit children to have their main hot meal in the middle of the day, but virtually impossible for most families. Most working parents are not at home and I do wonder whether those working at home would want to start cooking a meal in the middle of the day. Hot meals served up in schools would be perfect if they could serve up something edible.

Callistemon21 Fri 05-Apr-24 10:05:09

I have looked after my four year old GS one day a week for the past three years. He would have happily lived on snacks (especially mini cheddars!) all day if he could. In the past 12-6 months or so I noticed he was getting particularly irritable, emotional and argumentative at about 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon. A snack or two seemed to settle him but it didn't last long.
Same thing with DH, SuperTinny but he's a good few years older than your DGS! It's known as hangry.
No, he's not diabetic.

Hot meals served up in schools would be perfect if they could serve up something edible.
It would solve so many problems.

Juliet27 Fri 05-Apr-24 10:14:46

Should I be ashamed to say that my daughter’s favourite snack (over 40 years ago) was a Peperami

MissAdventure Fri 05-Apr-24 10:17:27

I'm sure someone will find a reason why you should.

They taste quite unhealthy, but that's part of the allure, I always think. smile

Callistemon21 Fri 05-Apr-24 10:37:55

Juliet27

Should I be ashamed to say that my daughter’s favourite snack (over 40 years ago) was a Peperami

My DC loved them too.